We, as believers, are mostly ignorant of this and fall prey to satan’s schemes of destruction against us. Our ignorance does not make his plans ineffective. On the contrary, it makes us vulnerable to his schemes. Our ignorance gives them free reign as their power is mostly unopposed.— Schalk & Elsa
Building from our last topic, we will now address one of our core mandates as believers on earth. It is God's will that we dwell in our Promised Lands or inheritance and enjoy the best of the land without interference from oppressors. Having learnt and engaged His word to depose agents of oppression in our territories, we can now pursue the next dimension of our assignments and God's plan. Dominion! Moving from a position of vulnerability or defence against the enemy to the position of attack, where we venture into the camp of the enemy and possess his gates. This is part of the ultimate blessing and mandate that God gave Abraham's seed.
When contentions arose between the herdsmen of Lot and Abraham, there was a divine interruption to make Lot independent of Abraham and set him up for his own assignment elsewhere. He had gotten the privilege of being mentored by a friend of God who must have shared his divine encounters with his household. But the turn of events in Sodom suggest that Lot could not fully discern or execute his assignment outside the righteous terrain he was used to. Though he was raised by a man who exhibited signs of all the five-fold ministry in the Bible, it appears he couldn't find his place outside the walls of the righteous terrain (in our day, the Church) and influence the world around him.
Aside being an intercessor, Abram (Abraham) was first an apostle, having been called out of his family and sent into a land that God showed him. In Genesis 20:7, God told Abimelek that Abraham was a prophet and in Genesis 18:18, God again testified that Abraham was one who would command (teach) his household after him, essentially emphasizing his role as a teacher. As he travelled across Canaan and surrounding regions, Abraham like an evangelist spread the message of God through the various encounters and experiences he had. His capacity for pastoral work was also evident in the vast number of servants he trained and catered for in his household. But exposure to this five-fold ministry cited in Ephesians 4:11-12 seemed insufficient for Lot to fulfill his ministry in Sodom and Gomorrah.
Considering the level of darkness and moral decadence in those regions, God must have been planning an avenue to extend his light and mercy so that the people could repent. This would be similar to the case of Nineveh where God sent Jonah to warn the people of His coming judgement and lead them to repentance. So, in Genesis 14, when the kings of that region were attacked, he used Abraham and his alliances to deliver them and by that act put Lot in a place of prominence and influence among the people. This is confirmed by the position Lot was found in when the angels sent to Sodom.
Typically, gates allow or limit access to a place so they are vital security points. But, in ancient societies, the city gates had far greater significance. It was the place where the elders and prominent members of the society would sit to decide on or judge crucial matters - we see that Ruth's fate and marriage to Boaz was settled at the city gate (see Ruth 4:1-12). It was also a central commercial centre for important business transactions - so Elisha prophesied that at the gate of Samaria a measure of finely-milled flour will sell for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel (see 2 Kings 7:1).
The gates were a vantage point for watchmen and elders to monitor activities in and outside the city, and gather intelligence. Remember Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate when he heard two eunuch's conspiracy to attack King Ahasuerus, and informed Queen Esther for them to be hanged on gallows (Esther 2:21-23). It was also a place from which key announcements were heralded and where the society's perspectives and mindsets were shaped. This is why Absalom stationed himself by the gate and won Israel's hearts by wooing the people who came in for business or judgement (see 2 Samuel 15:1-6)
So, Lot was sitting at a strategic place - THE CITY GATE. Though he was a stranger in the land, He wielded some influence that afforded him a seat at the gate of this great city. No wonder the men of Sodom who wanted to break into his house and have sexual affair with the angels shouted, “Stand back!”... “This fellow came to town as an outsider, and now he’s acting like our judge! (Genesis 19:9a, NLT). But how did Lot's influence affect this city in the end? Not much! Perhaps, as his name Lot meant veiled, he could not clearly identify His mission and mandate so he couldn't influence the Sodomites and save some from judgement. Is it possible that we as Christians are veiled concerning our assignment?
No one can enter or possess a territory without first gaining control of the gates - the entry and exit points. This physical principles of access apply in the spiritual realms too. Jesus said: "... I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18b). Prevailing against the gates of Hades (Hell) means the church must move from a place of defence to attack the territories of the enemy. The church must have watchmen positioned in all strategic places to control the enemy's activities, determining what is allowed or disallowed in our domain. That is why Jesus adds in the next verse: "And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind [hinder, forbid] on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose [allow, permit] on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:19). He reechoes this again in Matthew 18:18.
God appoints his own gatekeepers in different regions and spheres of life to enforce His will on earth and keep the enemy out. In the major places of influence - Education, Government, Science and Technology, Media, Entertainment, Business, Family and Religion - He wants people who have been equipped thoroughly in the church to enter these arenas and possess the gates. Our assignment is to keep the enemy and his schemes in check or at bay. But how many believers are conscious that their placement is for this strategic assignment? Many are struggling to keep oppressors out of their allotted places so they cannot proceed further into enemy-thronged zones to eject the powers of hell.
In Christ, we are now Abraham's seed and inheritors of the blessing which includes possessing the enemy's gates. But many do not understand why God puts them in certain places. As someone rightly said, 'if you don’t understand the purpose of a thing, you would misuse or abuse it'. A careful look at so-called Christian nations reveals the apathy or recklessness of believers in our divine placements. Do you know why God put you in your current neighbourhood, school, house, nation, family or job? Beyond the wealth you stand to acquire through work, what else is His purpose in giving you such opportunities? It's important to be in tune with God regarding His purposes so you don't misuse the avenues.
Obviously, the enemy will resist the move of God's kingdom against his gates, but if we partner with God, we will prevail as Jesus promised. As I shared in an earlier bulletin, there was a contention over my national service placement. In a dream, I saw the Human Resource Manager and another colleague debating over my application to take me out. Knowing that my assignment there was divine, I went into serious intercession about this and sealed this with thanksgiving. Though it took days to hear back from the company, someone who applied ahead of me was reposted and I got the place. And I can testify that I had several opportunities to minister to people in the 5 years I spent with that firm.
We must each ask the Holy Spirit to open our eyes to our assignment where we are so we can possess the gates of the enemy. So, if you are a teacher or an educator contributing to the curricula, for instance, be conscious that you're a playing a crucial role in the Gate of Education, as you shape the minds of the next generation and serve as an example. We often err in this domain when we assume that we can only make a difference through 'Christian schools'. As at the time I was in Presbyterian Boys Senior High School, homosexual activities were ongoing right in this Christian school so segregation is not the answer. Our children can thrive and shine as agents of transformation, like Daniel and his friends did in Babylon. The important thing is to equip them, by God's grace with truth, and entrust them to God as they go out into different arenas of life.
If we have been called to possess the nations for Christ, we cannot be outside the systems of that nation and posses it. Musicians, sportsmen and women, writers or artistes are needed to stand in the gates of Entertainment. Entrepreneurs and business-oriented people are needed in the Business arena. Every couple and parent must recognize their strategic mandate to influence the mountain of Family with godly marriages and parenting. And certainly we need more believers in politics and the diverse arms of Government to influence it. We don’t necessarily need a christian president as history has shown in several places that that doesn’t work. All we need is someone who can favour Kingdom principles through the support of other believers in the system. There are several examples in Scripture: Pharaoh with Joseph, Nebuchadnezzar with Daniel, Ahaseurus with Esther and Mordecai, and Cyrus or Darius with Nehemiah and Ezra.
You may not see what your individual contribution does to the entire system but I assure you that as we collectively stand in our places of assignment in God's name, the gates of Hades will not prevail in our territories. Remember, God is often seeking just one man or woman.
You are the tiny yeast that can cause a whole dough to rise. The command from our Lord was "Occupy till I come" and this should be our focus wherever we have been planted. Regardless of our placement, we must wear the mindset of soldiers, always wearing our full armour of God, and remaining in fellowship with our commander and the rest of the army through prayer and intercession (see Ephesians 6:10-20).
One important caution - Jesus wants us to be on the offensive against the enemy but we are not to making him the entire focus of our lives. As Daniel said, "But the people who know their God will be strong and will resist him (Daniel 11:32, NLT). Our weapon is to know our God, then we can resist the enemy. If we know so much about the enemy and don’t know our God we will be in trouble.
We are likely to face opposition like Paul and other disciples did in Acts 19 because when we gain grounds, the enemy and his agents lose influence and gains. But we must be determined to occupy till Jesus comes. There are people who will oppose every move of God because they don’t want the kingdom of God established in these places. Paul faced such as Demetrius and Alexander (see Acts 19:23-28 & 2 Timothy 4:14-15). But through Spirit-led target prayers and intercession , we shall overcome. God will raise unlikely candidates in these spheres, like Rahab, to seek our interest and advance His purposes. Our mandate is not to kill people because it is not flesh and blood we are fighting. Ours is to attack the spiritual cohorts working behind the scenes and allow God to determine the fate of their agents.
Never forget Jesus' assuring words to us: He will build His church and the Gates of Heads will not prevail against it. As you partner with HIm, you will possess the gates of the enemy in your sphere.
Scripture Reading:
Genesis 22:17, Matthew 16:16-19, Ephesians 4:11-12 & 6:10-18, Luke 19:13